Quantitative Comparative Linguistics - Detection of Borrowing

Detection of Borrowing

Loanwords can severely affect the topology of a tree so efforts are made to exclude borrowings. However, undetected ones sometimes still exist. McMahon and McMahon showed that around 5% borrowing can affect the topology while 10% has significant effects. In networks borrowing produces reticulations. Minett and Wang examined ways of detecting borrowing automatically.

Read more about this topic:  Quantitative Comparative Linguistics

Famous quotes containing the word borrowing:

    Now that is the wisdom of a man, in every instance of his labor, to hitch his wagon to a star, and see his chore done by the gods themselves. That is the way we are strong, by borrowing the might of the elements. The forces of steam, gravity, galvanism, light, magnets, wind, fire, serve us day by day and cost us nothing.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)